Sean, the unknown train travler,
I used them easily enough. I used the WS hydrocal with them.
They were easy to use and easy to re-use over and over with very good results.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I have a couple of them, too. I've made a lot of castings with them, and they still hold up fine. If you have a lot of surface to cover, though, you should have several different molds so they don't get repetitive.
Bragdon Enterprises, Sterling Models and Scenic Express also make rock molds, among others.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have used Woodland Scenic rock molds for years. I think that they are well worth the money. By using a dental pick and other tools, I can change some of the features of the "rock". The painting and weathering will also change its look. Lastly, I use a LOT OF TREES on my N&W October, 1958 layout. And these hide parts of rock castings which again make them look different.
Craig North Carolina
Their rock molds are fine, I own several and the best use of them is shown in the video on this site, not in the forums, but in the recommended videos on the home page. It is about 20+ minutes long. A bit tedious, but spot on so far as I am concerned. It was tough to find so I supply the URL
http://mrr.trains.com/en/Videos/User%20Videos/2012/01/How%20to%20cast%20your%20own%20rocks%20and%20install%20them%20on%20your%20model%20train%20layout.aspx
The fellow paints the bottom parts of the mold with hydrocal and doesn't just fill the mold. This yields a hollow light weight rock that is easily used as is or it can easily be broken with the hand and bits and piece fitted or glued in wherever needed. It is a really neat idea and trick.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
I have had over the years 8-10 of W.S. Rock molds, they are wonderful and work very well! When done with them I've sold them on Ebay for almost as much as I bought them for. I've used castings all over my layout. I tried casting the rocks in place but tired of holding them in position and switched very quickly to just casting them, letting them set and then gluing them onto the scenery base. You can vary what you cast, by filling the mold partially, tipping the mold one way; or, the other, etc...
Simply put, rock molds are the quickest, most flexible, most realistic method of adding rock work to your layout and I think Woodland Scenics are as good as any you can buy.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
Thanks everyone for the information. It helps.
I have used both WS molds and molds I have made with their Latex Rubber. I found some rocks I liked the looks of and reproduced them for my layout. I find both very easy to use. Did use a layer of cheese cloth between 2nd and 3rd layers of latex to strengthen the homemade ones. I often keep some tin foil handy, crumple up and spread out, then if I have some plaster left over, I can pour it into the mold for more castings. Also, using tin foil, pouring a thin layer of plaster, let it set up and break it up for talus at the foot of your rock faces. Can also break up other pieces of excess plaster from your other pours.
With larger molds, commercial or homemade, if you tilt the molds at a slight angle and don't use the whole mold, your castings will look different.
I used plaster of paris for most of my castings, but for a very large curved cut I used Sculptamold in a tinfoil mold, let is start to set up and then pushed it into place. The crumpled tin foil resembles many of the rock faces in the area I model.
Good luck,
I've used most of them out there. Made my own etc. WS work fine and are quality product. However, do check out Bragdon's molds. Better selection and some different formations etc...
http://www.bragdonent.com/molds.htm
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Yes, I use them. They work great.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I have some WS rock molds, but I like my Color-Rite molds better. They are more flexible than the WS ones and easier to apply directly the surface.http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=&manu=211&item=&keywords=rock+mold&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search
Otherwise, both WS and Color-Rite molds are good. It is important to clean the mold immediately after use. Flex it under water either in a sink with runnung water or a bowl and look for any flecks of plaster that lodge in the detail. Let them dry completely before storing them.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch